News

Alexander Takes Aim

In the final of a three-part exclusive series, Craig Alexander speaks to Ironman.com about his future and his family.

By Ian Hepenstall

Although five-time World Champion Craig Alexander will not return to Kona again, he warns against designating him to a place in history just yet. The 40-year-old might just scare a few with his plans to focus on IRONMAN 70.3 races, mostly close to home in the next few years.

"I want to do more 70.3 races and I want to train specifically for them," Alexander said from his home in Cronulla where he, wife Neri and their three children will be permanently based after splitting their time between Sydney and Boulder, Colorado for nearly a decade.

"I enjoy racing. I love the sport, may be more now than ever. I am excited to race. From an athlete’s viewpoint, I think my best distance is 70.3 and so I am looking forward to doing more of those."

Alexander has a rich heritage in Olympic-distance racing, particularly non-drafting, and at IRONMAN 70.3 events, where his record is second to none. He has won 35 times over the 70.3 distance including his two world titles at Clearwater in 2006 and Las Vegas in 2011. Add to that four wins at St Croix and Muskoka and the Australian Long Distance title three times.

"I have set myself for a few IRONMAN 70.3 races I want to do next year. I want to race in Asia Pacific a lot more. So I am excited. It’s like a new beginning. Sometimes you have to change things to stay hungry. I have always said that as an athlete I do not want to just make up the numbers. I want to be someone who is always contending to win and hopefully that can continue next year. It is a new challenge going forward. Being home makes it so much easier. I am excited about not doing two IRONMAN races in a year, look at racing more shorter-distance races and hopefully racing them well."

With that Alexander dismisses talk that it is time to start measuring him up for Madame Tussauds.

"What is important to me is that I go down as the greatest triathlete I could have been personally. To me the most important thing is to maximize the physically gifts that I was given, train hard and have a good work ethic and be smart as well with all the other details in things like recovery and nutrition. If I am remembered at all would be an honour because there’s been so many great athletes come through the sport. I have been lucky to have won some of the biggest races in the sport and I am thankful for that. It has come with a lot of hard work and, when you perform consistently, it comes with a lot of great support. I was lucky my wife was so supportive, lucky I came into contact with smart people who were able to guide me and I am thankful of that. I feel very lucky."

But don’t start on his IRONMAN obituary quite yet. Craig Alexander reckons he has a lot more to "crow" about in the sport.